"Still Waiting: Life After Katrina," a new documentary about an extended St. Bernard Parish family's struggle to recover from Hurricane Katrina -- and all that entails -- will make its big-screen premiere this weekend in New Orleans before moving on to a Dallas film festival and an eventual national airing on PBS.

Producer and Colorado State University anthropology professor Kate Browne characterized the film as an often heartbreaking study in irony, in that the family -- determined to return to the place they call home -- find themselves hamstrung by a history of self-sufficiency that has left them unsure of how to navigate the governmental bureaucracy set up to help them.

Including interviews with local experts -- University of New Orleans historian Raphael Cassimere Jr. and UNO anthropologist Martha Ward among them -- the 60-minute film was directed by two-time Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker Ginny Martin of Dallas.

"Still Waiting" will be shown Saturday and Sunday at 8 p.m. at the Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center's temporary location at the Tulane University School of Architecture's Richardson Memorial Building, Thompson Hall, Rooms 201 and 204. General admission for each screening is $7 ($6 for students and senior citizens; $5 for Zeitgeist members; free to those with Tulane student or faculty ID).

For details, call (504) 827-5858.

After its local engagement, "Still Waiting" will screen next week at the Dallas Video Festival and is scheduled to air on PBS stations around the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Zeitgeist focuses on radical subcultures

The Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center launches the first in a series of films about radical movements and subcultures today with the documentary "Beyond Hatred."

Starting today and airing nightly at 7:30 through Aug. 2, the film recounts the murder of a gay man by skinheads in France and examines the social and psychological roots of hate crimes.

Other films in the series, and run dates, include:

"Punk's Not Dead" (7:30 nightly, Aug. 3 to 9), an examination and celebration of the still-relevant music genre.

"B.I.K.E." (9:30 nightly, Aug. 10 to 17), chronicling the infiltration by two filmmakers of an underground bike club that battles mainstream consumer culture.

"This is England" (7:30 nightly, Aug. 17 to 30), Shane Meadows' film about a young boy who finds friendship and acceptance in a group of skinheads.

All screenings will take place at the Tulane University School of Architecture's Richardson Memorial Building, Thompson Hall, Rooms 201 and 204. General admission for each screening is $7 ($6 for students and senior citizens; $5 for Zeitgeist members; free to those with Tulane student or faculty ID).

When: Saturday, starting at 5:30 a.m., with replays later Saturday and Sunday.

Where: AMC

Why: We don't have Tony Soprano anymore, and it's been awhile since you visited with the Corleones, so why not TiVo the whole series, and watch a little bit every week during Tony's old time slot? Talk about an offer you can't refuse.

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Mike Scott covers movies. He can be reached at (504) 826-3444 or mscott@timespicayune.com. Find his movie blog at blog.nola.com/mikescott.